Leontine Bijleveld (1955) has been involved in research about women’s rights and gender equality since the 1970s. She worked in different positions as policy advisor and researcher in women’s rights NGOs and the women’s department of the Netherlands Confederation of trade unions FNV. In 1992 she was awarded for all her efforts by the State secretary for gender equality (Joke Smit Award).
In 2006 she started her own business as independent consultant and researcher in gender equality, women’s rights and labour relations. She is author of several books, reports, articles and policy papers on subjects related to women’s rights & gender equality and employment. She was co-rapporteur of the CEDAW NGO shadow reports in 2016 and 2009. She was guest lecturer at universities and speaker at conferences in the Netherlands and abroad and participated in numerous European and international expert seminars and conferences. She is frequently consulted as expert regarding issues of gender equality and gender mainstreaming. In 2015 she published an article for the European Equality Law Review.
Leontine Bijleveld is at present chair of the Dutch CEDAW Network and active member of the Dutch Association for Women, Law and Justice. She participates in the board of the public libraries in the North of Friesland. She got her degree in social and economic history at Utrecht University and has been involved in women’s history from the start.